"I'll try," Frank promised soberly. Jack and Lord Hastings looked at each other and smiled. "I'm going to hold you to that promise," Lord Hastings declared grimly. CHAPTER XXVI. SCOUTING. "We may as well go up now." It was Lord Hastings who spoke. For two hours, starting at nightfall, the D-16 had been creeping along under the waters in the Dardanelles. Submerging before she started, the submarine had not yet come to the surface once. But now, at Lord Hastings' words, Jack gave the command. "Seems to me we should not be far from the opposite end," Lord Hastings continued. Slowly the D-16 rose toward the surface, Frank, in the lookout room, meanwhile keeping a careful watch for obstacles ahead. There was little fear of encountering a hostile under-the-water craft, and for this reason the huge searchlight of the D-16 was allowed to play about the water, lighting it up for some distance on all sides. The submarine reached the surface without trouble, and followed by Jack and Frank, Lord Hastings ascended to the bridge. The water was very rough, and it was perfectly black outside. "We could not have selected a better night," said Lord Hastings. "But without a moon or light of some kind," asked Jack, "how are we going to make out the lay of the land?" "We'll run inshore and do a little scouting," was the reply. Accordingly the submarine was headed shoreward. "The water here is deep enough to permit us to go almost to the bank," said Lord Hastings. "After that we shall have to swim." When the D-16 had approached the bank as near as Lord Hastings deemed possible with safety, the commander turned the bridge over to Frank and announced that he and Jack would go ashore. "But is there not fear of your being discovered?" asked Frank. "We shall have to take that chance," was Lord Hastings' reply. "Now you stay right here with the submarine until daylight. If we have not returned, you will know that we have fallen into some difficulty, and you will return and report." "Very well, sir," replied Frank. Lord Hastings and Jack lowered themselves quietly into the cold water, and struck out boldly for the shore. They had to swim no more than a minute, when they felt the gradual rise of the land under their feet. Stepping softly, they continued their way, and soon stood upon dry land. "Which way now, sir?" asked Jack. "It doesn't make much difference," was the reply. "We'll go to the left." They started out cautiously. "Keep your eyes open," Lord Hastings instructed, "and your hand upon your guns. I don't fancy falling into the hands of the Turks." "Nor I," replied Jack, as he followed his commander's advice. The two stepped forward cautiously. They walked for perhaps five minutes, and then they brought up suddenly before a huge gray wall. "Fort," said Lord Hastings briefly.